Method of forming flanged bearings



Feb. 24, 1931. H, E 1,794,183

METHOD OF FORMING FLANGED BEARINGS Filed Aug. 14 1928 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED sra'rss PATENT OFFICE CARL H. LEIS, OF NEW CASTLE, PENHSYLVANIA, ASSIGll'OR TO JOHNSON BRONZE PANY, OF NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CQEPOBATION OF PENNSYLVANIA METHOD or FORMING FLANGED BEARINGS Application filed August 14, 1928. Serial No. 299,570.

This invention relates to the manufacture of bearings, and more particularly flanged bearings, such as those used as main hearings in the automotive industry.

In the present practice of forming flanged main bearings, a piece of steel of desired diameter is turned down on a lathe, the metal between the ends being removed while the metal at the ends is not cut away, whereby flanges are formed at each end of the metal cylinder. This is a slow operation and an expensive one, and one which results in the waste of considerable material.

The present invention has for its object to provide asimple method of forming a main bearing from rolled or sheet metal, by means of which flanged bearings can be produced economically, more rapidly, and with a great saving of material over the present methods.

The invention may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate various steps in the manufacture of a bushing according to the present invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a cylinder formed from a piece of sheet metal;

Figure 2 is a transverse section through a die showing the cylinder of Figure 1 therein, the cylinder being in elevation and having been pressed to form a conical portion at each end thereof;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of the cylindrical blank in the next die; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the blank pressed to final form in the die shown in Figure 3.

According to my invention a blank of the proper dimension is cut from a piece of sheet metal and rolled into a cylinder of somewhat greater length than the length of the bushing which is to be made. This cylinder is shown in elevation in Figure 1. The cylinder is designated 2 and the joint between the ends of the blank is indicated by the line 3.

The blank shown in Figure 1 is then placed in a die 4 whose length is less than the length of the blank. The die has conical end portions 5.

While the blank is in the die 4 it is pressed from each end, the metal being forced outwardly to form conical portions 6 at each end of the'blank 2. Due to the increase in the diameter of the conical portions, the seam 3 is opened up at each end leaving the open wedge areas 3 The blank, after it has been formed to the shape shown in Figure 2, is heated and transferred to the die 7 shown in Figure 3. ,The die 7 has a shouldered recess 8 at each end thereof, and the diameter ofthe shouldered recessed portion 8 is less than the diameter of the conical portion 6 of the blank.

After being positioned in the die 7, as shown in Figure 3, the blank is pressed from each end by the shaping elements 9, shown in Figure l. The elements 9 force the flanges 6 of the blank down into the shouldered recesses 8, compacting the hot metal and forming the conical portions 6 into perpendicular flanges on the body of the cylinder. As the metal is compressed in the shouldered reoesses 8, the edges of the flanges are forced together, filling in the open portion 3*.

When the blank has been completely pressed, as shown in Figure 4c, the bearing member is complete. The entire operation can be easily carried out without waste of material and at much less cost than the present method of forming flanged bushings.

In making the bearing, the'metal is not subjected to any undue strain and its thick ness is kept substantially uniform. When the blank is first expanded to the shape shown in Figure 2, the conical portions 6 are formed without materially stretching the metal be- 2 cause of the fact that the seam at each end of expanding the ends of the cylinder into conical portions and opening the joint at each end of the cylinder, thereafter bending the conical portions over perpendicular to the body of the cylinder and simultaneously reducing 5 the diameter thereof to again close the joint. 2. The method of forming flanged bearing members from sheet metal which comprises the steps of forming a piece of sheet metal into a cylinder of the desired diameter, but of m greater length than the bushing to be formed, and having a longitudinal joint therealong, expanding the ends of the cylindrical blank to form conical portions and opening the seam at each end of the blank, and thereafter 15 upsetting the conical portions to form perpendicular flanges and simultaneously compressing them to reduce their diameter and close the seam, the blank being heated When the conical end portions are upset.

in 3. The method of forming .flanged bearing members from sheet metal, which comprises forming a piece of sheet metal into a cylinder of the diameter of the bushing which it is desired to make but of greater length, ex-

panding the end portions of the cylinder to conical form Without materially stretching the metal, thereafter heating the blank, and pressing the conical end portions into perpendicular flanges of less diameter than the di- '30 ameter of the conical portions.

4. The method of forming flanged bearing members from sheet metal which comprises the steps of forming a sheet metal blank into a cylinder of the diameter of the bearing but of greater length and having a longitudinal seam thereaiong, expanding the ends of said cylindrical blank to form conical portions thereon, the seam at the ends of the blank being opened whereby no material stretching of 0 the metal takes place, heating the blank, placing it in a die having an annular recess at each end thereof of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the conical portions, and forcing the conical portions into the re- 45 cesses to form perpendicular flanges on the v blank, the seam at the end of the blank being forced shut.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CARL H. LEIS. 

